Many medical practices have on-call doctors to handle urgent issues outside office hours. You can learn about your practice’s after-hours policies on their website or voicemail.
Urgent medical issues don’t always occur during regular office hours. But that doesn’t mean you should wait until the office opens to talk with a medical professional.
Some health conditions demand immediate medical attention. Other health concerns may be addressed by talking with a doctor over the phone and getting their home-care recommendations.
Many healthcare practices have after-hours systems in place, such as an answering service and on-call doctors. On-call doctors can provide guidance on whether to get immediate medical care at a hospital emergency room or urgent care center, or whether home care remedies can relieve symptoms until the office is open again.
Still other medical practices have after-hours nursing lines for on-call questions. These lines are staffed by registered nurses (RNs) who can provide medical advice or connect people with a doctor if needed.
This article explores when and how to contact a doctor after hours and when to get immediate emergency care.
Certain health conditions require immediate medical attention at a hospital emergency room. Emergency care is needed when an injury, illness, or symptom is so severe that you believe it may be life threatening if not treated immediately.
In these circumstances, call 911 immediately. The 911 call-taker will ask you questions about your situation, determine if an ambulance is needed, and walk you through what you need to do until help arrives.
Examples of symptoms or potential medical conditions that require immediate medical care include (but are not limited to):
- severe or sudden chest pain
- choking or difficulty breathing
- loss of consciousness
- severe bleeding
- severe burns
- seizures
- accidental poisoning
- extremely high fevers
- temperature above 102.2°F (39.4°C) for adults
- temperatures above 103°F (39.4°C) for children 3 years or older
- temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) for infants younger than 3 months
- stroke symptoms
- paralysis
- numbness or weakness in the arm, face, or leg (especially on one side of the body)
- trouble speaking, slurred speech
- confusion
- vision problems
- loss of balance or coordination
- heart attack symptoms
- in men:
- chest pressure, pain, or discomfort
- shortness of breath
- pain in the arm, shoulder, or neck
- nausea, sweating, dizziness
- in women:
- unusual fatigue
- anxiety
- upset stomach
- lightheadedness, shortness of breath
- upper back, shoulder, throat, or jaw pain
- pressure or pain in the center of the chest
- in men:
- serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis), symptoms include:
- abdominal pain
- anxiety
- confusion
- facial swelling
- difficulty swallowing
- trouble breathing
- nausea
This is not a complete list. If you or someone you know may be experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 right away.
When calling 911, be prepared to answer the following questions:
- your exact location
- your phone number
- details about the nature of your emergency
Certain urgent but not life threatening medical issues require immediate doctor’s guidance, which can’t wait until the next business day.
These medical health concerns might include:
- Your teenage child has just returned from a sports game with a concussion.
- Your infant child has a high fever and appears listless.
- One of your children has fallen off their skateboard and appears to have broken their arm.
- You or someone in your family has cut themselves and may need stitches.
- You were recently prescribed a new medication, and you have questions about your dosage or certain side effects you’re experiencing.
If you have a primary care physician
If you have a primary care physician (or pediatrician if your question concerns a child), call your doctor’s office at their regular number.
You will likely be transferred to an answering service or a recording with instructions on how to reach the on-call doctor. The on-call doctor may not be your primary care physician, but they can answer your questions and recommend next steps.
When you call your doctor’s office after hours, be prepared to provide your name, your phone number where you can be reached (in case the doctor needs to call you back), and a brief description of why you’re calling.
You should also be prepared to provide:
- any medications or supplements you’re currently taking
- any health conditions you are currently receiving treatment for
- any history of surgeries or hospital care
- your medical insurance information if you are insured
- a nearby pharmacy where prescriptions may be sent
Be aware that the on-call doctor may not be able to solve your issue over the phone. They may recommend that you visit an urgent care center or another after-hours medical office in person. Or they may recommend that you make an appointment to see or call your primary physician the following day.
Be sure to write down or record all pertinent information from your phone call, such as:
- your on-call doctor’s phone number (if you need to call them back)
- the address of any recommended in-person urgent care centers
- the prescription name and dosage information if a doctor calls in a medication for you
If you do not have a primary care physician
If you do not have a primary care physician whose office you can call, or if your primary care physician does not have an after-hours system in place, there are several other options for after-hours medical advice. These can include:
- 24/7 medical hotlines (such as askadoctor.help)
- telehealth services
- urgent care walk-in centers
- nearby hospitals
You can contact any of the above medical providers for answers to medical questions and advice on what your next steps should be.
You can also check your insurance card. Some medical insurance companies include a 24/7 number you can call for medical advice.
Urgent care walk-in health clinics and emergency rooms are usually available during regular weekday hours, after hours, and on weekends. Where you should go depends on the specific type of injury or illness you have, as described in the table below.
| Urgent care walk-in clinics | Hospital emergency rooms |
| Urgent care clinics treat minor conditions and illnesses that need immediate attention but are not serious enough for an emergency room visit. | Hospital emergency rooms (ERs) provide care when you need immediate medical attention or suspect a condition is life threatening or could become life threatening if not addressed. |
| Urgent care clinics are typically open during weekdays and evenings, and on weekends. | ERs are open 24/7. |
| Examples of health conditions that are best handled at an urgent care clinic: small cuts that may need stitches flu symptoms (sore throat, ear pain) eye discharge vomiting and diarrhea painful urination (possible urinary tract infection) possible sexually transmitted infection animal or insect bite sprains or strains | Examples of health conditions that are best handled at an ER: broken bones dislocated joints high fevers acute abdominal pain severe physical trauma cuts that may require stitches vaginal bleeding during pregnancy mental health crisis severe dizziness or blurred vision slurred speech weakness or numbness on one side of the body burns with blisters accidental amputation of fingers or limbs a foreign object embedded in an eye |
It’s typically best to wait until your doctor’s office reopens for all nonclinical needs or questions. These include:
- billing questions
- specialist referrals
- prescription refills
- appointments
- insurance questions
An after-hours answering service or on-call doctor will not be able to help you with nonclinical questions.
If your primary care office has a phone tree that allows you to navigate to the right extension, you could leave a message, but it’s probably more productive to call and talk directly with a person when the office is open.
Most insurance plans, including Medicare, cover telehealth consultations and urgent care visits. However, your copays, deductibles, and coinsurance costs depend on your insurance plan and the hospital or urgent care center you visit.
It’s helpful to check with your insurance provider or review your insurance policy to confirm after-hours coverage and out-of-pocket expenses for urgent care.
You can also call the urgent care center you plan to visit beforehand to confirm that they accept your insurance and to determine the cost of your visit.
It’s generally OK to contact your primary care physician’s office after hours for urgent questions or health concerns.
Medical offices often have after-hours answering services with on-call doctors or nurses who can provide guidance on what to do, where to go, and the next steps.
It’s typically more productive to wait until the office opens to seek assistance with all non-urgent issues, such as billing questions or referrals.
If you or someone you know is experiencing a life threatening health condition, call 911. A 911 call-taker can provide instructions on what to do until medical help arrives.